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Dear Highroaders,

I appreciate you being a part of our community. You may have noticed that I did not publish a blog last month. I instead was taking part in a painful but significant journey: My response to the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, VA.

As a Jewish person, the rally for me was all that one would expect it to be: Disturbing, frightening, and disheartening. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing on the news. But as I watched the marchers walk the streets carrying swastikas and chanting their hate, I had a strange moment of clarity. I felt something click inside of me, something I simultaneously rejoiced over and was terrified of.

I was compelled to share this discovery with the world, so I called the editor of Khabar magazine and asked if I could write a response to the rally. He agreed right away. I spent the next three weeks writing the piece, embroiled in a sea of conflicting emotions; sometimes I was consumed with pain, and other times filled with love.

The article arrived two days ago neatly packaged inside the October issue of Khabar magazine. I read it twice. Three times. A wave of satisfaction and relief swept over me. I had said what I needed to say. But when I put the magazine down and tried to go to sleep that night, I couldn’t. I tossed and turned thinking about the article. It was out there now. I could not take it back. I felt vulnerable, because I knew these two pages in a magazine were not the last thing I would say on the subject. I knew that writing this piece was the key to unlock a door to my future, a future where I advocate for compassionate courage when standing up to hate, and where I both succeed and fail doing so.

When I woke up the next morning, however, the clouds had lifted. I was ready to respond to anything that came my way with regards to the article or prejudice in general.

I am honored to share the results of my journey with you. Here is the online version:

http://www.khabar.com/magazine/features/insights-meeting-the-hate-of-neo-nazis-with-compassion-and-courage

Your comments and viewpoints are welcome.

May you find your own voice of compassionate courage during these dark times.

 

Vicki Flier Hudson

Vicki Flier Hudson, Chief Collaboration Officer for Highroad Global Services, Inc. inspires people to leverage the full power of differences. She has helped countless large-sized corporations establish successful operations across the globe and build bridges across cultures, distance, and time.

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